Dr Chatterjee talks to Professor John Cryan, world-leading researcher on the gut-brain axis and Professor of Anatomy & Neuroscience about how the connection between our gut and our brains affects all aspects of our health, including stress, depression, anxiety and IBS.

Episode Highlights:

• As a neuroscientist, how did John become to research stress, which led to its link to the gut microbiome?
• Hear about the progress John and his team have made so far with their research.
• What chronic illnesses to John & Rangan now know can affect and be affected by stress?
• John & Rangan talk about stress and why our body reacts in this way and the follow-on effects of chronic stress.
• Listen to the research John has done recently on how specific bacterium in the gut, can be more resistant to stress. Link to the study.
• Link to John’s book The Psychobiotic Revolution: Mood, Food and the New Science of the Gut-Brain Connection
• John talks about how our microbiome is different throughout our lives from first born to old age, from person to person and compared to our ancestors.
• Rangan refers to Martin Blazes book – Missing Microbes
• John describes the Gut-brain Axis and how we have recently been able to see how the gut can directly influence activities in the brain.
• Link to the Smiles Trial.
• How has John’s research shown how the state of the microbiome can cause specific stress responses such as depression & anxiety?
• Hear John’s tips to improving gut health include: a Mediterranean diet, fermented foods, pre-biotics in the diet, avoiding processed food and anti-biotics, how Caesarean sections and having pets can have an effect and why good sleep practises and exercise are important.
• John talks about research into processed foods, sugar and artificial sweeteners.
• John reveals how certain medications, prescribed by doctors, can be more or less effective depending on the individual’s microbiome.

More Info on John

• John’s biography
• Follow John on twitter
• Link to John’s book The Psychobiotic Revolution: Mood, Food and the New Science of the Gut-Brain Connection
• Links to John’s research papers
• John’s TEDMED talk
• John’s TEDx talk
• Related Guardian article

Dr Chatterjee’s resources:

• Blog – You are what you eat: how diet can improve symptoms of depression
• Podcast –IBS and Gut Health with Dr Megan Rossi
• Find Dr Chatterjee’s 4 Pillar of Health in The 4 Pillar Plan
• Available in the US & Canada with the title How to Make Disease Disappear
• Order Dr Chatterjee’s book The Stress Solution.

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.